Earth-mold-making machine



Dec. 31, 1929. E. G. CARR 1,741,825

EARTH MOLD MAKING MACHINE Filed Aug. 23. 1928 (lit/71855 I I Inventor z UNITED enters arse rrice EDWARD G. CARE, OF CHIGAGO, ILLINOIS EARTH-MOLD-MAKING MACHINE Application filed August 23, 1928. Serial No. 301,448.

This invention relates to a machine for preparing earth molds for concrete slabs like.

and the The machine is of the general type which runs on forms or side rails set to a predetermined grade and limiting the edge of a concrete road to be laid, and is for away the earth between such side ra proper depth and contour to form cutting ils to a a mold in which to cast the concrete slab for the roadway.

The machine herein illustrated is of a particular type adapted to be pulled behind a paving mixer that is mixmg and placlng the concrete for such roadway.

The forms which form the guide rails for such maclnnes are set temporarily only. Under the weight of a machine that 1s heavy enough to always insure cutting to the proper depth in hard soil, such rails may sink where the ground is soft. This difliculty considered together with the original expense of a heavy machine and the expense of the handling and operation of such a machine makes a lighter machine very advantageous.

It has been the practice in some localities where a lighter machine is employed inspector to watch to see whether the for an wheels of the machine are raised H of the guide ralls as such machine moves forward. This method is not wholly practical because one truck of the machine is on one side of the road and the other truck is on the other side, making it impossible to occupy a position where all wheels, generally four, may be accurately observed at all times. The hearings in the wheels of such trucks may become so worn that the machine itself can be raised Without actually moving. a wheel from the rails.

out of proper relation to the guid e rails.

Very slight movements must be detected for the machine to be etficient as it is a common PTELCUCG for the engineer not to allow more than a quarter of an inch from the r thickness of a concrete road.

equired Two embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of a subgrade scraping machine'including the new visible signal at one end and the new audible signal at the other, with certain of the parts unnecessary to illustrate the invention omitted;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of one end of themachine illustrated in Fig. 1 and detailing the visible signal; and- F ig. 3 is a similar elevation of the otherend of the machine and embodying the audible signal mechanism.

Reference should now be had to the draw ing which accompanies this specification and 6 which terms a part thereof and in which the like reference letters are used to designate the same parts wherever they may appear in each of the views. p

The letterA is used to designate forms 7 or siderails that border the side of a proposed concrete road. These rails are set with their tops to predetermined heights. WVheels B upon the machine-are adapted to run on rails A and support a subgradc scraping machine, there being on said machine axles C on which said wheels Brotatc. The axles C are secured by bolts D to end members E and E of the machine.

A beam of any suitable material or construction is securely bolted to the end members E and E and this beam spans the roadway. Blade holders G are secured to the beam F by U bolts H, which U bolts permit of the vertical adjustment oftheblade holders G to give the desired depth and contour. Scraper blades I are secured to the blade holders G by bolts J;

Pivotally connected to the end member E by bolt K is a lever arm L. A roller M is journalled on an axle N, which axle is secured to said lever L. A link 0 connects the free end of the arm L with a semaphore P, which latteris pivoted to the end member E by a pin Q A lug R on the end member E limits the swing of the semaphore in either direction. and prevents it from going up to a point on dead center. Said semaphore P is preterably painted a different color from the end member E and is set so that when the machine is at rest on the forms A the top edge of the semaphore will be flush with the top edge of the end member E.

Vhen the machine is raised from any cause to an elevated position, such for example, as is shown in dotted line in Fig. 2, the roller M will remain upon the forms and being of suflicient weight, it will raise the semaphore P until it becomes visible above the end member E. The semaphore P will show so plainly that it may be seen from any position the instant that the machine has been raised from the rails A.

For an audible signal, the arm L is pivotall connected to the end member E by a bolt A roller M is journalled on an axle N which is secured to the lever arm L.

On the free end of the arm L is an ad- 'usting screw S. Under the adjusting screw g is the flattened end of an electric wire T, secured to the end member E by a bracket U of fiber or any suitable insulating material. The wire T is connected to one side of an electric cell V, the other post of which is connected to a coil W actuating a bell X, this being an electric bell of the ordinary door bell variety. The other leg of circuit is completed by connecting the lever L with the coil W by a wire Y.

When the machine is in position on the guide rails or forms A, the screw S may be adjusted so that any selected amount of lifting of the end member E will bring the wire T into contact with the screw S, thus closingthe electric circuit to the bell coil whereby to ring the bell X, giving instant warning to the observer of an excessive height in the subgrade.

What I claim is:

1. In a subgrade scraping machine operating upon guide .rails, a frame, and means for indicating when said frame is elevated in relation to said rails.

2. In a subgrade scraping machine operating on guide rails, a frame, and means for indicating vertical movement of said frame in respect to said guide rails.

3. In a subgrade scraping machine, a frame, guide rails therefor, a signal device upon said frame and means for actuating said signal device when said frame is raised relatively to said guide rails.

4. In a subgrade scraping machine, operating upon rails, and comprising a frame, an alarm, and means for actuating said alarm when said frame is lifted from said rails.

EDWARD G. CARR. 

